Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Starz has given a series order to Shining Vale, the new horror show starring Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear and Mira Sorvino.

The series centres on a woman who, in a last-ditch attempt to save her marriage, moves her family from the city to an old house in the suburbs with a storied past — and discovers that her personal demons may actually be real.

“Shining Vale is a smart, chilling and funny series that tells the story of a family in turmoil who is suddenly living with a paranormal who helps Courteney Cox’s character get her groove back as she starts to question her own sanity,” said Christina Davis, president original programming at Starz. “This group of talented actors, executive producers and director blends comedy and horror brilliantly throughout this series which exemplifies the network’s commitment to improve female representation on and off the screen.”

Cox plays Patricia “Pat” Phelps, a reformed wild child who became famous for writing a raunchy, drug and alcohol-fueled “female empowerment” novel. Seventeen years later, she’s sober but unfulfilled, hasn’t written a second novel and her marriage and family are in rough shape. She and her husband Terry (Kinnear) cash in their savings to move out of the city and into the possibly haunted house.

Sorvino plays Rosemary, who is either Pat’s alter ego, a split personality, her id, her muse or a demon. Merrin Dungey plays Kam, Pat’s closest friend and book editor. Gus Birney and Dylan Gage play Pat and Terry’s teenage kids.